The Godfather
by Intervigilium
Summary: Three reasons why everyone wished they had a Weasley twin as a godfather.


**DISCLAIMER**: Don't own the characters, nor the world. Took the liberty of making Fred survive for this piece. Written as part of a Christmas exchange.

"Seriously. _H__ow_ do you do it?"

Hermione, arms folded, watches Fred with a mix of jealously and admiration. Rose, a compact crying machine for a solid hour until now, blinks and goes _instantly_ quiet at the sound of her uncle's voice. He snatches her from her mother's arms, giving his undivided attention to a flow of incoherent speech that he refers to as _**Rosiguese**_, a language he claims it's hers alone –and apparently no one from the family understands it but him.

He speaks to the baby girl as he would with any other adult, walking with no particular direction set; she gurgles and smiles and her eyes are wide with glee.

"I told you all _**several**_ times, Hermione," Fred says, a sigh/eye-roll combo coming with the words, causing Rose to squeal with laughter, "Rosie and I made a deal the day she was born. She's a girl of many, many secrets and from the moment she set her eyes on me, she knew I'd be a good confidant. I mean," and he turns to the baby, "is it so hard for people to understand?"

Rose gurgles some more, tiny hands closing and opening excitedly, and Fred quips a "That's what I tell them!" All that's left for Hermione is to shake her head and smile.

"She adores you."

"Well, 'course she does." Fred finally crosses the room to place a loud kiss on Hermione's cheek. "Hello, by the way, little sister! Where's _Ronikines__?"_

"Fred!"

"Oh, he loves it and you know it! He just needs to keep the pretense when everyone else is around him." He places his free hand in the air, close to Rose's, and she slaps it clumsily.

"**Tiny-five**. It's a thing. We're working on it."

"I'm sure you are." Hermione smiles at her daughter and goes back to the kitchen, her voice higher to maintain conversation. "Bill sent him an owl earlier, so I reckon they'll come back together. What about George?"

"Y'know, contrary to popular belief, we're not tied to each other by the waistline!"

"News to me."

Fred smiles, looking back at Rose. "I can see who you get your wits from, Rosie." The baby only blinks as Fred carries her closer to the kitchen. "George, if you must know, is a bit _tied up_ at the moment."

Hermione points a spoon at him. "If you mean that literally, this story stops now, Fred Weasley. I told you there will be no discussion of yours and your brother's… - she looks left and right as if there was actually anyone there with them – _shenanigans _in front of my daughter!"

Fred's mouth hangs open in mock indignation, and Rose opens her mouth in similar fashion with a "Daaaah!" to agree. "I know the rules just fine, thank you! And he's actually tied up at work, if you must know!"

"Well… that's better. But he'll make it to dinner?"

"Not sure, but let's maintain hope; Fate may release him from the shackles."

"Ah," she exclaims with approval, "you've been reading that poetry book you borrowed after all!"

"Not really. You do realize Fate's his secretary's name, right?"

Realization dawns, but before Hermione can say another word Fred's already retreating with Rose to the living room.

"Hun, your mother doesn't stand a chance when we team up. Tiny-five!"

She ignores his hand this time, blinking curiously.

"We'll work on it."

* * *

"Fred…"

"Come on! The two of you cannot tell me that she doesn't look absolutely **brilliant**!"

"You dressed her as an owl, Fred."

"She's a witch and she should dress accordingly! Crashing a Muggle tradition while making a witch's fashion statement; that's Rosie for you. Plus, she just looks adorable and _you know_ it."

Ron and Hermione couldn't help sharing a smile; she did look perfect, and perfectly content.

"I don't know about this… she's so small, Fred… can't you wait another year?"

Fred covered Rose's ears at that. "How… dare… you? You, brother, of all people… how much candy did you get way before you had to go to Hogwarts, hm?"

"I…"

"And you, Hermione… to deny the world a vision such as your daughter! Just because you don't feel like going out at Halloween and just wait for your neighbors at home, it doesn't mean she shouldn't start enjoying it!"

Sensing that his arguments were still falling flat, Fred sighed.

"Look, I didn't want to do this, but… Rose,_ do the owl_." He nodded in the direction of the child's parents. "Show them _the owl_, Rosie."

The toddler made a soundless "hoot!" with her lips, apparently struggling to get the sound out but failing. It was enough for Hermione to nearly keel over.

"Oh, fine! I suppose the tree costume is because she'll be over your shoulders the entire time, yes?"

"Safe and sound. Same state as she'll be returned to you in a few hours."

"Well, I reckon we're out of excuses, then. Off you go, baby," said Ron, placing a kiss on Rose's cheek, immediately followed by Hermione, "take care of your uncle Fred. And Happy Halloween!"

"Great!" and with that, Fred was speeding down the corridor, Rose laughing on his bouncing shoulders, an empty candy bag loosely strapped to his elbow.

"Do you … ?" Hermione started, but the words got lost.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine," his husband reassured her. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"He is your brother, Ron. _One of the twins_."

"Yeah, there is that." He looks down the corridor, only able to listen to Rose's giggles now. "No, they'll be fine. Believe it or not, Fred grew up a lot lately."

_Later that night …_

"Now's the tricky part of the night, Rosie," the 'tree uncle' says, tiptoeing. "Your Mommy and your Daddy are probably very tired and we have to be careful not to … "

" … wake them up?"

Fred froze, and so did Rose on his shoulders, round eyes finding her mother. Ron, next to her, could barely contain a smirk.

"Precisely!" Fred 'dismounted' the little girl, holding her steady while setting down the bag, now full of random candies. "Ron, Hermione, I present you your daughter, fully baptized in Halloween! We walked, we stalked. We got candies and got away with it."

Rose gurgled. Hermione settled for crossing her arms tighter to resist tending to her daughter.

"So, just a calm walk around the street, right?"

"So neutral a night, that for a second I wondered if we were part of a documentary on Switzerland."

"I see." Ron scratched his chin. "So, when Seamus passed by to say hello and mentioned seeing you and Rose at the Leaky Cauldron, I'm sure he must have been wrong, **right**?"

Fred looked at Rose, and if **_Rosiguese _**had a term for "busted", that was pretty much it.

"And," Hermione added, an octave higher than usual, "when he mentioned you were _levitating _her – so that she could be a flying and giggling owl – to impress a few witches in questionable costumes … I'm positive that was just another man with another baby, **right**?"

She took a step forward and Fred took a step back. Rose clapped her hands, because this was clearly the right time to do so.

"It couldn't possibly be you, using our daughter as a … as a … witch magnet, **right**?!"

There was a brief silence. And then …

"Well," Fred said, apparently very hurt (judging by his tone), placing Rose in Ron's arms gently, "the two of you seem very eager to condemn me, and will, in no way, accept any other version of the events other than that provided by _Seamus_ (he took great care in saying the name and making it sound like "the effing snitch")."

Rose gurgled some more, and Fred instantly nodded. "Oh, I'll them. Rosie says _Je ne regrette rien_! That's right, Hermione, **in French**! Because she knows we had a blast. Right, Rose?"

This time the toddler slaps his hand and laughs, the feathers of her costume dancing around. Hermione and Ron only exchange looks and shake their heads, grinning.

They had been working on it, after all.

* * *

"Have you double-checked all your books?"

"Mum, you triple-checked them."

"What about the … "

"Clothes are all labeled and packed. You woke me up around 5 this morning to make sure they were."

Ron suppressed a laugh, while Hermione sighed in defeat. "I know, darling. I just want you to be prepared. You know, Amat …"

" … victoria curam. I know, Mum."

"She's entering the school knowing Latin. It'll be a breeze for her, Hermione," Ron stated, winking at his daughter, who beamed back. Nervous as he was to be back at that station – _boarding a daughter, if you'll believe it_! – Ron knew that his girl would succeed in every aspect that Hermione did, at Hogwarts and beyond. They were almost exact copies. _Thank Merlin_.

He grabbed her owl cage. "Now, let's get you settled… I'm sure I saw Albus enter the train over there. Ah, yes, there's Harry and Ginny!

Chatter came and went and Rose couldn't help looking disappointed. She saw her grandparents, and it was always nice to see Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, but someone was missing. She missed Uncle Fred. All those years and they were still attached to the hip, almost as if she was a third twin.

Aunt Audrey caught her eye earlier and read her crestfallen stare. "They are terribly sorry, my beautiful girl… Uncle George and Fred send their love and all the best, but something big came up at the store, it seems."

_On the day that the Hogwarts Express is boarding_? Rose couldn't help but wonder if that was just an excuse. Maybe she wasn't the cute child Uncle Fred would take everywhere anymore. Maybe … maybe it was time to grow up, after all.

She pasted a smile on her face and hid those feelings under the anticipation of Hogwarts. She kissed her parents and tried to sound pleased and happy. It was easier to let go of that sadness when the windows started showing movement. Impossible, but easier.

Outside of King's Cross, Ron was opening the door so that Hermione could enter the car, the train long gone in its tracks by now. And then he felt them. Felt them before he saw or heard them.

_Oh, for Flamel's sake_!

He looked up. Two 'shapes', not unlike two people would be in Disillusionment Charms while riding custom, near-invisible brooms, cut through London's sky. It was quick, very quick. Not quick enough to escape a little brother's vigil; Ron never ceased to admire their partnership.

"You're not kids anymore; just don't go hurting yourself now," he said, chuckling, mostly to himself as he took the driver's seat. Hermione seemed puzzled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing… they grow up so fast, the kids. Just that."

_And some people NEVER grow up_, he thought, starting the engine and making his way home.

Meanwhile, Rose was trying to distract herself with a book, when a shadow crossed her window. Well, not a shadow… it was as if the air outside the window was 'dancing'… like she could see the wind…

Then, two men removed the spells over themselves. None other than Fred and George Weasley. Some extra lines on their faces, but chasing the Hogwarts Express with broomsticks as if that was routine for them.

Rose all but jumped to the window, the biggest smile she could offer while both hands grasped glass. She wanted to call them crazy, but she was too happy to consider reason. Rose watched as they circled each other, pointing ahead. **_Between the carts_**!, they mouthed.

The girl ran out the compartment door, ignorant of Albus returning to it from the bathroom. It didn't take long before she opened a door and found her beaming uncles, both looking like they didn't even break a sweat getting there.

"Accommodations to your liking, my dear?"

"We can always provide a ride, but to be fair, you may freeze if you travel with us. I sure did," George winced, while Rose laughed while hugging him, taking only seconds to bury her head in Fred's chest.

"I thought … "

"Come on, Rosie. You didn't really believe I'd let you ride this train for the first time without wishing you a safe trip, did you? My lucky charm, you are. Always," he added, stroking her hair.

"I thought **I** was your lucky charm … "

"Partner in crime, George. Partner in crime."

"Aw! Don't make me blush in front of the girl!"

"Now," Fred started, brushing some hair out of Rose's smiling face and placing a small enchanted bag on her hand, "I need to get your uncle's old arse back before Aunt Audrey misses him. Here are some extra funds for your term …"

"… you never know when you'll need that extra coin …"

"… our personal multi-purpose kit for students, exclusive edition …"

"… just be sure you read the manuals first … I didn't."

"Don't whine, you're all better now, aren't you?"

"Did I ever tell you I have the best uncles in the world?" Rose finally interrupted them, giggling.

"Not today. But we know," they said in a single voice. Both bent to place a kiss on the student's forehead before mounting their brooms. George sped away first; he loved his niece, but knew, as everyone in the family did, that the second Fred held Rose for the first time, his brother had found another 'half' of him in the world. And he respected that too much to disturb their moment.

"Take care of yourself, Rosie. Have **lots** of fun, and study just a little, so that other kids may stand a chance against you, okay?"

"Can't make any promises."

"Oh, well… I'm _told_ that Grandma Weasley's "You are a Prefect!" hug is really something." He winked at her, mocking disgust all over.

"See you at Christmas, Uncle Fred?"

"Always, love. Oh, right… there is this, as well …"

He took a small steel pipe from his jacket, aiming it upwards.

"We're about to reach a canyon, darling," Fred said. "Get indoors, and try to find a compartment on the left, yes?"

"Why?"

"Call it a '_Weasley's Hogwarts' Special_'," he winked one last time, before launching to the air. Rose rushed her way back to her compartment to find Albus busy with a Chocolate Frog.

"Where did you go?"

"Shh! Wait, Al!"

She almost pressed her nose against the glass, Albus imitating her seconds later, catching on the excitement.

"What are we looking for?" he asked her. Seconds later, just as Fred had warned her, a large canyon opened under the rails. In the distance, a trail of smoke shot out of a steel pipe held by a man on a broomstick.

Five seconds, later, the sky nearly exploded. Fireworks of dragons, lions, eagles, badgers and snakes (although these were significantly smaller and in fewer numbers) filled the sky, dancing and following the train. Albus and Rose could hear the cheering from other cabins. It was a serious Secrecy break if anyone caught them. Then again, the twins? **Caught**?

"WICKED!" Albus' jaw had finally returned to a normal position.

Rose couldn't find a proper response. At the original point of the explosion, she could see a big, bright rose bud. A stubborn tear rolled down her face, followed by a stomping foot.

_How am I supposed to pick a Christmas present for him after that?_


End file.
